Improvement in clover-harvesters



bed remaining` horizontal.

ITED STES IMPROVEMENT IN CLOVER-HARVESTERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent N0. 158,795, dated January19, 1875; application filed July 13, 1874.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, CLINTON R. HARDY, ofLexington, in the county of Scott and State of Indiana, have inventedcertain Improvements in OlOver-Harvesters, of which the following is aspecification:

In the machines ordinarily used for thisA purpose it is necessary toraise or lower the rear end, to regulate the height of thestripping-teeth at the front to suit the varying height of the clover.This necessitates lifting not `only the bed itself, but the load in it.

In my invention only the Operative mechanism, consisting of thestripping-teeth, reel, and fan for blowing the clover-heads back intothe bed, is movable up and down, the This movement is about the axis ofthe main driving-wheels, so that the tension of the driving-belt is notchanged.

In the drawings, Figure l is a longitudinal vertical mid-section of myinvention. Fig. 2 is a plan, partially broken away to show theInechanism. Fig. 3 is a'side view. Y

A represents a rectangular box-bed, the rear portion of which isomitted, as it contains no part of my invention. It may be supportedupon caster-wheels, in the usual manner, or upon ordinary wheels, likethose shown at B B. These latter support the front part of the bed A.'Ihe front portion of the bottom, a, of the bedv is cut away about onthe axial line of the ground-Wheels BB, and a cross-bar, G, bearing theoperative mechanism, is hinged to the bottom at b b, on the axial lineof the ground-Wheels. To this bar is Aattached the stripping-teeth c cand the side Vframes, d d', in which are journaled the reel D i andblower or fan E. The latter are partially inclosed by a cylindricalhousing, F, of sheet metal or thin wood, which is also secured to theside frames, d d', at the ends. On one of the reel-journals, outside ofthe bed, is secured a pulley, Gr, which is rotated by a belt from apulley, H, on the inner face of one of the ground-wheels. This is shownin dotted lines 'n Fig. l, and in plan in Fig. 2. On the other journalof the reel, Outside of the bed, (see Fig. 3,) is a pulley, I, whichtransmits motion to another pulley, J, on one of the journals of the fanEfthrough the medium of a belt, as shown.

By these means rotary motion is imparted to the reel and the fan by therevolution of the groundwheel. A bell-crank lever provided with twoarms, c e, is pivoted to one side of the bed at g, the arm c beingconnected to the side frame, d', by a link, h, or any equivalent device.The upright arm e engages with a curved guide-ratchet, i, and by movingit (the arm) back .and forth, the points of the stripping-teeth c c areraised and lowered, the teeth in the ratchet serving to hold the leverat any desired angle, in the usual manner.

As the hand-lever above described operates only on one side ofthe bed,and the weight to be lifted is considerable, I obviate the side draftand assist the operator by means of a compensating-spring, L, `(see Fig.3,) which may be attached to the opposite side of the bed from thehand-lever c. VA cord or wire, j, attached to the upper end of thespring, extends forward and over a guide-sheave, lc, to the side frame,d, where it is attached. I prefer that the spring L be 4strong enough tolii't about three-fourths of the weight of the hinged part bearing themechanism, leaving onefourth to be controlled by the Operator; but thespring may be made strong enough to lift allA Ot' the weight freely, sothat it will require a slight forward pressure on the hand-lever to keepthe teeth down. In this case the teeth on the ratchet z' would bebeveled in the opposite way from that shown.

By hin ging the adjustable parts on the axial line Of the ground-wheels,the pulley G moves concentrically around the pulley H, and the beltconnecting them is thus kept always tight. Seginental openin gs m m inthe sides of the bed allow for the proper movement ofthe projectingjournals of the reel and fan. In the side frame, d', are sundry holes an, to admit air to the fan E.

When the harvester is in motion the reel and fan revolve in thedirection of the arrows, the former cutting oft the heads Of clovercaught by the teeth, and the latter blowing them back into the bed A,where they may be packed down by a boy.

The machine is intended to be drawn by horses 5 but no provision forthis purpose is shown, as it forms no part of my invention, and iscommon to all machines of this class.

A side draft is, however, preferable, as it prevents the horses fromtreading down the clover before it is stripped.

With my device for raising and lowering the teeth, it is obvious thatamuch larger bed, capable of containing a much heavier load, can be usedthan in those machines Where the rear of the bed is raised and loweredto regulate theheight of the teeth.

The driver may be provided with a seat, if desired.

I do not claim the reel, nor the method of operating it, for this iscommon to machines of this class; but

What I do claim is- 1. In a clover-harvester, the frame corn- CLINTON R.HARDY.

Witnesses J. M. AURrCK, W. SrRA'rroN.

